Abstract: A seat belt system for securing a seated occupant to a seat, the system comprising: a single continuous length of seat belt webbing, the seat belt including first and second ends; a first anchor located near the juncture of the seat belt and seat cushion with a buckle positioned on the other side of the cushion, a movable anchor guide or second web guide for orientating portions of the seat belt relative to the seat; second means for moving the seat belt away from the seat to encourage the occupant's entry onto the seat and for thereafter manipulating the seat belt about the seated occupant so that a portion of the seat belt forms a lap belt about the seated occupant and wherein other portions of the seat belt form two relatively criss-crossed shoulder belt segments of seat belt in front of the seated occupant.

Abstract: An occupant helmet protection system usable with an occupant helmet and a seat belt system, the seat belt system of the type including at least a first and a second shoulder belt, each of which when worn is positioned to lie across a respective shoulder of an occupant, the helmet occupant protection system including an energy absorbing, flexible tether having a first end operatively connected to the helmet in alignment with an effective center of gravity of the combined helmet and the occupant's head, the tether including a second end connected to a tether anchor point; a frame member loosely supported about the shoulders of the occupant and including a center or tower portion, the center or tower portion having a tether guide means for changing the direction of the tether and providing a low friction surface for the tether, the tether guide means located in alignment with or slightly above a first plane, which passes through the effective center of gravity of the head-helmet combination and the tether-h

Abstract: A safety system including a web guide comprising: a load-bearing member; a roller rotationally supported in relation to the load-bearing member; a one-way clutch for permitting the roller to rotate in a first direction and for prohibiting the roller from rotating in an opposite second direction.

Abstract: A safety apparatus including a rollover air bag to protect an occupant of a vehicle during the rolling-over of the vehicle, the rollover air bag comprising: first and second panels of woven material that has been coated on at least one side thereof to reduce the porosity of material to substantially zero, the panels sewn together along a first sewn seam to define an inflatable portion of the air bag; seam sealing means for sealing the first sewn seam so that the internal pressure of the air bag at about five (5) seconds from the time the air bag is initially inflated is about 35 Kpa (about 3.5 psi).

Abstract: A height adjuster (100, 200, 400) for a seat belt system comprising a mounting bar (102, 202, 402), a carrier (120, 220,460, 460a) and a spring-loaded locking lever (170, 270,490). The mounting bar is preferably oval or rectangular in cross-section with at least one wall (side wall), which acts as an engagement or locking surface. The engagement surface can include a plurality of small teeth. The bar is adapted to be mounted to a support surface or structure. The carrier is slidably mounted on the bar and is movable to different positions. The carrier includes a main portion, which may be U-shaped in cross-section with a top, a bottom and a center wall. Each of the top and bottom walls includes a first opening through which the mounting bar extends.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor (20) characterized by low mass and low operating noise, resistant to dust, moisture, and corrosion comprising: an integrally formed, quadrilaterally shaped main body portion (24). In the preferred embodiment of the invention the frame is injection molded using 50% or greater long glass fiber plastic or die cast or injection molded metal. A spring housing wall and wall of a mechanism cover are also integrally formed in the sides of the retractor. Positioned within the spring housing wall is a spring coil guide, as well as an integrally formed anchor, which is used to hold the outer end of a rewind spring. The mechanism side of the frame further includes an integrally formed post or pin to pivotally support a locking pawl.

Abstract: The implementation of dual-stage inflators in some production vehicles is quickly becoming a common reality. A dual-stage inflator has two firing squibs that can fire independently, simultaneously or in a delayed mode. This tailorability provides the ability to fire a low level, high level or staged delay level depending on the impact velocity or other means. For each restraint condition, the inflator output threshold speeds are identified. A biomechanical gray zone, for each injury assessment reference value, is defined based on occupant performance. The upper and lower bound of each biomechanical gray zone is associated with a type of occupant, inflator output, belt restraint and injury parameter.

Abstract: A system (20) comprising a buckle presenter (100) and/or a tongue presenter (200) and mechanism to activate and control each presenter. The buckle presenter and tongue presenter (200) are used to respectively move a seat belt buckle (26) and a corresponding tongue (24) from a stowed position to activated positions generally in front of the occupant to make the process of inserting the tongue into the buckle more convenient.

Abstract: An air bag system comprising: a housing/inflator assembly and an air bag assembly operatively linked to the housing/inflator assembly to receive inflation gas to inflate an air bag of the air bag assembly, the housing/inflator assembly comprising: a plurality of inflators, each inflator including at least one exit port near a first end thereof, each inflator having a respective opposite second end, the housing/inflator assembly further including: a housing for mounting the inflators relative to one another with the at least one exit port of one of the inflator's positioned adjacent the second end of a second of the inflator's and with the second end of the first inflator adjacent the exit port of the second inflator.

Abstract: An air bag module assembly comprising: an inflator (250) having at least one exit port (270) with a thin layer of burst material (272) blocking the at least one exit port (270), the burst material bursting forth from the exit port during an initial moment of activation of the inflator. The module including an air bag assembly comprising an inflatable first bag (20) and an inflatable second bag (70), the second bag located within the first bag, the second bag including an opening (40b) to receive the inflator (250) wherein prior to activation, opposed portions of the second bag, radially outboard of the inflator, are formed into respective flaps, which are overlaid and positioned on a top of the inflator to provide a tortuous path through which any particles can flow prior to entering into a main portion of the air bag.

Abstract: A unique and simple method for attaching a steering wheel to a steering shaft includes a pair of securement members. The steering shaft is provided with a slot extending into an enlarged space. The first securement member extends across a bore in the steering wheel, and is threadably received in the second securement member. The steering wheel can be moved onto the steering shaft with the first securement member moving through the slot and into the space. The first securement member can then draw the second securement member into the space. Preferably, there is a tapered interface between the second securement member, the steering wheel, and the steering shaft. The tapered surface drives the steering wheel downwardly onto the steering shaft such that a wedge-lock is provided. In a further feature of this invention, an outer housing surrounds the steering shaft. The outer housing has a pair of spaced slots.

Abstract: A force-sensing mechanism (20) comprising: a housing having first (22) and second (24) housing members; a slidable plate positioned between plate portions of the first and second housing members and moveable thereto; various spacers located between the first housing member and the sliding plate to space and stabilize the plate relative to the first and second housing members; a magnetic sensor stationarily mounted between the first and second housing members, a magnet moveable with the sliding member in response to forces applied to the first and second housing members and to the sliding plate; a spring assembly (250) having one end in operative engagement with the sliding plate and another end in operative engagement with the housing while biasing the sliding plate within the housing.

Abstract: An airbag folding apparatus includes a folding tube, a folder support apparatus, and a plunger mechanism. The folding of an airbag utilizing the folding apparatus comprises the following steps. A vehicle airbag is attached to the plunger mechanism and the airbag is lowered into the folding tube. The plunger mechanism is introduced into the folding tube after the airbag is completely inside the folding tube. The plunger mechanism is forcibly lowered into the folding tube causing the airbag to be compressed or folded. The plunger mechanism remains exterior to the airbag throughout the folding process. The plunger mechanism is then detached and a fold retention sheet is wrapped around the folded airbag.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle assembly including a seat belt buckle, the buckle including: a frame (26) defining a tongue-receiving slot (40); a latch plate (34) operably positioned in relation to the tongue-receiving slot and movable between an unlocked position and a locked position; a latch spring (64) for biasing the latch plate toward the locked position; an ejector mechanism (28) located behind the tongue-receiving slot and rearwardly movable in response to inward movement of a tongue; the ejector including a first portion engageable by the tongue and rearwardly movable to a position beyond the location of the latch plate and a second portion (80) slidably receiving and supporting the latch plate, the second portion remaining in contact with the latch plate, preventing the latch plate from moving to its locked position even when the first portion has moved beyond the latch plate.

Abstract: An air bag module having an inflator (20); a cushion (22); a retainer ring (24) having at least one mounting tab (40) and a plurality of fasteners (28) for engaging the inflator (20) and the cushion (22); a cover (26) having a pair of flaps (44) defining a plurality of apertures for engaging the fasteners (28); and a plurality of snap-in attachment nuts (32). The snap nuts 32 being used to connect the air bag module to an armature (30) of a steering wheel.

Abstract: A force sensor (50, 50′, 50a) generates a signal indicating the usage of a seat belt. A cylindrical housing (70, 70′) has a wall (72) and a bottom (74) which define an internal cavity (88). The bottom has an opening (76) through it. A cable anchor (90) is slidably received within the cavity and is connected to a cable (54). The cable has one end secured to the cable anchor and another end connected to an anchor point. A magnet (120) is connected to a top of the cable anchor and is movable with the cable anchor. The cable anchor is biased to resist motion of the cable anchor toward the bottom of the housing. A magnetic sensor (200) generates a signal indicative of the distance between it and the magnet. A sensor housing (180) is connected to the housing and is positioned on the housing to position the magnetic sensor a determinable distance from the magnet at a null position. A housing end cap (150) is secured to the housing for enclosing an open end of the housing.

Abstract: An air bag module comprising an air bag, the air bag including: a face panel having a first central opening therein; a rear panel having a second central opening therein, that portion of the rear panel about the second central opening forming a neck portion; a tubular insert having an open end secured to the face panel about the first central opening, the tubular insert including a closed end opposite the open end, the tubular insert extending into the air bag.

Abstract: An air bag module including an air bag, the air bag including: a face panel having a first central opening therein; a rear panel having a second central opening therein, that portion of the rear panel about the second central opening forming a neck portion; a tubular insert having an open end secured to the face panel about the first central opening, the tubular insert including a closed end opposite the open end, the tubular insert extending into the air bag, sides of the tubular insert including at least one opening; the tubular insert including an inflatable portion having an open end secured about the at least one opening and upon inflation the inflatable portion is moved into the center of the tubular insert.

Abstract: A partitioned air bag (55) comprising an upper (54) and a lower (52) inflatable chamber, the lower chamber upon inflation is positioned to provide a cushioned boundary generally against the lower chest and abdomen of an occupant to be protected, the lower chamber first receiving inflation gas from a source of inflation wherein the inflation gas is sequentially transferred to the upper chamber through one or more ports (162) formed by a separator panel that separates the air bag into the upper and lower chambers. The air bag is inflated by a single stage air bag inflator (26) characterized as having a relatively low fill rate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and device for simulating impact conditions which has a test sled 10, simulated occupant (14), and a pre-impact force-generating device. The pre-impact force-generating device can apply force directly to the simulated occupant being (14), thereby overcoming many of the cost problems associated with applying a low and long duration force directly to a test sled (10). The pre-impact force-generating device can be designed such that instead of providing a low and long duration force to a simulated occupant (14), it provides a short and high impact force to the simulated occupant (14). An impact force-generating device provides impact force directly to the sled (10) which simulates impact conditions.